A BJP MLA and two Samajwadi Party leaders were on Monday booked by UP Police separately for violating the model code of conduct.
Former BSP legislator RS Kushwaha, who joined Samajwadi Party a few months ago, was booked in Nighasan in Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday for allegedly holding a public meeting at a school without obtaining permission.
The Election Commission has banned rallies, yatras in the five states going to polls next month in the wake of surging Covid-19 cases in the country.
Circle Officer (Lakhimpur Kheri) Subodh Kumar Jaiswal said Kushwaha told them that the meeting was decided much before the model code of conduct came into force on Saturday. “Since the meeting was pre-scheduled, people kept arriving at the venue,” the CO said.
Imran Masood, who quit the Congress to join the SP on Monday, was booked in Saharanpur for allegedly holding a meeting of his supporters at his residence without obtaining permission from authorities. Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar said an FIR was filed against 10 people for violating Covid-19 protocols.
Meanwhile, Bareilly police booked BJP MLA Bahoran Lal Maurya for allegedly violating poll conduct and Covid protocol by distributing blankets. The police filed an FIR against him on a complaint by SP leader Shahzil Islam.
(With PTI inputs)